169. How to Meet 3 Core Volunteer Needs Right from the Start Artwork

Volunteer Nation

Nonprofit leadership author, coach, and expert Tobi Johnson shares weekly tips to help charities build, grow, and scale exceptional volunteer teams. Discover how your nonprofit can effectively coordinate volunteers who are reliable, equipped, and ready to help you bring about BIG change for the better. Rather than continuing to “do more with less,” achieve abundance for your organization by engaging community talent that helps you do more with more. Society is evolving and so, too, is volunteerism. With over 25 years of experience working in nonprofits, public sector agencies, and grassroots campaigns Tobi is known for her modern “big hat” thinking and straight talk about what it takes to achieve success in today’s world. You will learn how to coordinate volunteers, improve the volunteer experience, recruit volunteers, appreciate volunteers, and do it all more efficiently with the right volunteer management software and digital tools. It’s a mix of interviews and solo shows you’re not going to want to miss. So, if you’re ready to ditch the stress and harness the power of people to fuel your good work, you’re in exactly the right place. Hit subscribe and let’s DO this!

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Volunteer Nation

169. How to Meet 3 Core Volunteer Needs Right from the Start

July 03, 2025 • Tobi Johnson, MA, CVA

In this episode of Volunteer Nation, Tobi Johnson dives into the essential human needs that drive a meaningful and rewarding volunteer experience—safety, connection, and purpose.

Tobi explores how creating a predictable, emotionally safe environment lays the foundation for trust. She explains why fostering strong peer connections is just as crucial as delivering information, and how helping volunteers see the direct impact of their efforts brings deeper meaning to their service.

Full show notes: 169. How to Meet 3 Core Volunteer Needs Right from the Start

Volunteer Needs - Episode Highlights

[03:03] - The Emotional Needs of Volunteers
[06:21] - Core Human Needs: Safety, Connection, and Meaning
[10:54] - Meeting Volunteer’s Safety
[18:36] - Meeting Volunteer’s Connection
[24:07] - Meeting Volunteer’s Meaning

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Thanks for listening to this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to subscribe, rate, and review so we can reach more people like you who want to improve the impact of their good cause.

For more tips and notes from the show, check us out at TobiJohnson.com. For any comments or questions, email us at WeCare@VolPro.net.

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Tobi Johnson, MA, CVA

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